


prepare for trouble and make it... quadruple?

by T_5Seconds



Series: Hello Darkie My Old Friend [3]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: Fix-It, Fluff, Gen, Nonbinary Dark Link, there's a terraria reference. can you find it?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:27:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27536011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T_5Seconds/pseuds/T_5Seconds
Summary: Still, the one in front of him is still very recognizablyShadow,and from that fact alone Four is crying again."Link- talk later, run now, okay?""You're alive.""Emotions later, run now!"(This is part of a series! You don't necessarily need to have read the other parts, but I'd definitely suggest it.)
Relationships: Dark Link & Link (Legend of Zelda), Four & Wild (Linked Universe), Link & Link (Legend of Zelda), Link & Shadow Link
Series: Hello Darkie My Old Friend [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2009401
Comments: 26
Kudos: 122





	prepare for trouble and make it... quadruple?

Four's not sure why air hurts his lungs so badly, but he thinks it might have to do with how long he's been running.

The portal they stepped through had brought them to Wild and Darkie’s world, for the first time since they'd first met, and that would be a cause for celebration...

But they had landed in a monster camp. Fleeing had lead to a lynel, which was even worse.

Four has been running for a while, and he hasn't seen any of the others.

_I hope they're okay._

Four's shadow runs along with him, as most shadows do. Matching his pace step for step.

He takes some comfort in that. He isn't alone.

Then he heard the bokoblin horn.

Oh, come _on,_ how many camps were there in Gerudo Highlands! This was ridiculous!

A fire arrow sails past, barely missing him. Right. Priorities.

He draws his sword.

Okay. One Hylian against... two silver bokoblins... six white ones... two blue bokoblins... and twelve ice keese.

_Run?_

_Run!_

Four takes off again, twisting on his heel and hurtling back the way he came.

The snow beats against his face. Another fire arrow hisses as it makes contact with the snow.

Four makes the mistake of looking behind him.

His foot catches on an unexpected rock, and he trips down a slope. The edges are hard to make out, but he thinks he's in a small pit.

Chilling close, something roars.

The lynel. Really, how unlucky is he?

It's bringing it's spear up to do _something._ Four isn't sure what, but he certainly doesn't want to be near it.

He scrambles away as fast as he can, and not a moment too soon. Fire licks at his ankles.

_Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap-_

The lynel is running at him, and he's backed into a corner. The spear spins at it's side, promisingly sharp, and Four finds he really doesn't want to know what it feels like- but it seems he's going to find out.

The air is bitingly cold, and his own tears are startling in their warmth. It would almost be pleasant, if not for impending doom.

Four squeezes his eyes shut.

Then a hand grabs his arm, yanks him to his feet, and he's pulled out of the way, the lynel growling in frustration behind him.

Who-

Four's brain short-circuts.

_Shadow?_

He looks different, Four notes, in the distant part of his brain that still works. He's not sure how exactly. He might be in shock.

Still, the one in front of him is still very recognizably _Shadow,_ and from that fact alone Four is crying again.

"Link- talk later, run now, okay?"

"You're alive."

"Emotions later, run now!"

Oh, right. The lynel.

Four lets Shadow pull him along, running slightly off-balance. He's not sure where they're going, but if Shadow's with him he doesn't care.

Some amount of time later, they finally slow to a stop. There's no monsters visible nearby, but they are next to a tree and some rock outcroppings for shelter.

Shadow cuts apart the tree and steals Four's fire rod to start a campfire. He didn't ask, but Four's probably too dazed to say anything.

He looks different, yeah. His hair in longer, more unruly. His clothes have switched to a black mirror of Four's current outfit. And he has scars.

Long, thin scars, segmenting his body like broken glass.

It might be that, that realization of how he got those scars, that finally snaps Four out of his haze.

"Shadow. You're alive."

"I am."

"...How?"

"Well. I survived."

"Yes, Shadow, I can tell. You know what I mean!"

Shadow offers him a lopsided smile. Four leans over to gently bop him on the arm.

"I'm not too sure yet. I was in your shadow for a while, too weak to come out, but... I think the proximity of another Dark Link helped."

"Darkie?"

"That's the one. They've been leaving me fairy tonic, actually."

"Darkie _knew?_ "

Shadow puts his hands up in mock surrender.

"Ask them yourself, Link. I wouldn't know."

Four's smile hurts his face, but he doesn't mind. Shadow is here, and he's okay, and they're _okay,_ and that's enough to make up for anything.

He holds his hands over the fire, and the sudden presence of heat reminds him-

"Hylia, it's cold."

Shadow huffs a laugh.

"Yeah. Just now noticing?"

"I was distracted!"

Four reaches over to poke Shadow and defend his honor, but Shadow grabs the extended arm and yanks.

Four tumbles on top of him, and there's a pause, before Shadow wraps his arms around him and starts squeezing, in a mix between a hug and retaliation.

Four hugs back. For vengeance, of course! And hey, Shadow's tunic is already black, nobody will notice if it gets a little wet.

\---

Wild wishes his compendium could track Hylians.

Him and Darkie had been separated from the others for a while, and now he can't find any of them.

But... if there's one thing Wild's used to seeing, it's smoke signals.

"There," he calls to Darkie over the wind.

Darkie looks, squinting, then nods.

One of the others must have set a campfire.

They get closer slowly- until Darkie has the bright idea of putting on the snow boots, picking Wild up bridal style, and sprinting towards the fire as fast as they can.

"Wh- Darkie, put me down! You're the worst sibling ever!"

Darkie laughs instead.

They skid to a stop, coming across...

Four ("Thank Hylia," Darkie mutters) and someone else curled up by the fire, seemingly asleep.

The second person looks quite a lot like Four, actually. But his hair is dark purple and his outfit is black.

Wild glances at Darkie and wonderes if his eyes are red.

\---

Shadow drifts to awareness to find a cloak draped over himself and Link, and to see Wild making eggs.

"Hhhng?" He questions. Eloquently.

Wild glances up, and then breaks into a small smile.

"Hey," he greets, "your eyes are red after all!"

He pauses.

"Wait, now I owe Darkie rupees."

Shadow surprises himself by laughing. Most people, he thinks, would freak out. Making bets on his eye color is way better.

Four, waking, says something just as insightful as Shadow's first greeting.

"Mmmeh?"

Wild stifles a laugh.

"Hey, sleepyhead. You beat Darkie, at least."

Upon closer inspection, Darkie is laying close to the fire in a position that resembles a cat.

"Where," Shadow asks between giggles, "is their _spine?_ "

Wild throws up his hands in confusion. The spoon sprays egg everywhere, and now Shadow can't even see Link's face under it.

He breaks out into full laughter. Link makes a noise of complaint, but rather than pull it off with his hands, he just eats the whole thing.

"Gross, Link."

Link headbutts him. Now there's egg on his shirt.

\---

"There," Twilight calls, "I think that's them!"

Everyone had split up quickly after the initial attack, but the group had mostly found each other- with the exception of Four, Wild, and Darkie.

Time's still not entirely sure how he feels about Darkie. He knows he's being unfair to the kid- they've been nothing but helpful, if a bit mischievous, and he can tell that his cold demeanor is upsetting them.

He's not sure how to approach the subject, and he's not ready to talk to Darkie without doing that first.

He's worried, though. That surprises him. He didn't realize he'd _worry._

They reach the campsite. Darkie is sitting on Wild's shoulders, for no discernable reason, and Four is cuddling with...

Oh, for Hylia's sake, is that _another_ Dark Link?

Time turns away from that-he'll think about it later- and addresses his question to Wild and Darkie.

"Are you two alright?"

Wild gives a thumbs-up. Darkie blinks for a moment like they're surpised, and then breaks into a grin as they nod.

"We're fine."

"Jeez, Old Man, you could worry about me!"

"I was wondering if your dark counterpart might want to hide first."

"Why," Four challenges, "is he in danger?"

Time sighs. These kids, he swears. They'll be the death of him.

"No. We should get out of the cold. Wild, is there anywhere nearby?"

Wild considers, then says they're near a stable.

"Hey," Four's Dark calls, running slightly to stand next to Time. "I'm Shadow."

"Nice to meet you."

Time pauses, then reaches over to pull Darkie into the conversation.

"Welcome to the family."

\---

Later, finding sleeping bags full of chuchu jelly, Time will reconsider this decision.

But Wild is laughing, and Four is smiling, and hey, if Darkie high-fives Shadow...

Well, Time doesn't mind.

No, Twilight. He has absolutely no _idea_ who could have done this.

**Author's Note:**

> hey, i heard you liked found family, so i put some found family in your found family


End file.
